FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[HoosierRedMan]

Good points Augie6-  For the record, I was not comparing the current regime to Reade.  Very few coaches (in any league/sport) can be put on the same level as Reade's success.  I had mentioned the Schmulbach era which was late 90's, not 80's.  So please don't take me the wrong way.  As you and Greg pointed out, I did omit Barnes so my bad on that part.  The simple point that I was trying to make, and Augie6 agreed with, is that the complexion of Augie is different today, which has been making it difficult to keep Augie perennially in the top 3.

As for the current team,  Elmhurst @ Carthage is going to be an interesting game on many fronts.  It's Carthage's HC so one can expect a large, spirited group on hand.  Always used to love to play teams on their HC and if/when you win,  spoil their festivities.      I think EC/Car are pretty even in many levels and have a bunch of guys looking to get better and prove themselves.

I agree 79.  Both teams have something to prove.  I was shocked to say the least that the Red Men went to Bloomington and came out with a win.  I was expecting another long CCIW season for them, and getting the win last weekend should be a big confidence boost.  I believe that Carthage is still working to over come the coaching change for Coach Rucks to Coach Yeager.  With an all new staff, this might have hurt their recruiting and their are just staring to get their "own kids", not Coach Rucks kids, but I am only speculating on this point. 

[79jaybird]

Good points HoosierRedman-  IMO it is a 2-3 year swing anytime there is a coaching change.  Some may say 4 but I have seen schools "adjust" and succeed in less than 4.   Besides turnovers and rushing,  it may come down to who's defense is going to shut the door in the second half? 

I too was surprised at the result in Bloomington. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Good points HoosierRedman-  IMO it is a 2-3 year swing anytime there is a coaching change.  Some may say 4 but I have seen schools "adjust" and succeed in less than 4.   Besides turnovers and rushing,  it may come down to who's defense is going to shut the door in the second half? 

I too was surprised at the result in Bloomington.

Anyone not residing in Kenosha who says there were NOT surprised is a liar.  We had to play our best cornerback at qb, but IWU should have been able to beat Carthage if they put a cheerleader in at qb.

[BoBo]

Good points HoosierRedman-  IMO it is a 2-3 year swing anytime there is a coaching change.  Some may say 4 but I have seen schools "adjust" and succeed in less than 4.   Besides turnovers and rushing,  it may come down to who's defense is going to shut the door in the second half? 

I too was surprised at the result in Bloomington.

Anyone not residing in Kenosha who says there were NOT surprised is a liar.  We had to play our best cornerback at qb, but IWU should have been able to beat Carthage if they put a cheerleader in at qb.

You mean like one of these ?

[Titan Q]

IWU vs Millikin articles...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/titans-face-millikin-needing-to-rebound/article_5b34b63d-2032-51f2-9383-d28950d30b0a.html

http://herald-review.com/sports/big-blue-braces-for-new-threat/article_b08bf172-ceac-584b-967f-d744d717e8c3.html


The Titans are struggling mightily, but always a big game vs the rival Big Blue.

[Gregory Sager]

NPU audio/video for today's game vs. NCC: http://athletics.northpark.edu/news/2014/10/10/FB_1010140244.aspx?path=football

[TitanPride]

Bolden reportedly out as Titans QB after an appendectomy this morning. 

[CardinalAlum]

Bolden reportedly out as Titans QB after an appendectomy this morning.

The Weenie QB position is jinxed this year! 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Hagemann is the Titan qb today.  They are up 7-0 in the first q.

[Titan Q]

Hagemann is the Titan qb today.  They are up 7-0 in the first q.

IWU's QB is sophomore Donovan Laible (Lexington H.S.).

[USee]

I was very surprised they went with Bolden last week. Looks like the Titans have righted the ship, up 24-0 vs Millikin. Their offense is built around a true spread type QB and Bolden is much more of a running QB who can throw it vs Warner who is a passing QB who can run it.

Wheaton in trouble at the half in Rock Island. 13-10. Poor tackling and rotating QB's to blame. We will see who shows up after intermission.

[Augie6]

Wheaton beats Augie 20-13.  After leading 13-10 at half, Augie gifts Wheaton 10 points in the second half to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  Won't go on a rant about some of the poor decisions by Augie in the second half, suffice it to say that Augie will have to be satisfied with moral victories as they won't have many actual ones.  Hadn't seen Wheaton play yet this year, but I must say I was thoroughly unimpressed.  The offense was a mess.  Not sure if there is anyone on that side of the ball that would scare many D Coordinators.  I know it was a poorly played game by Wheaton and they obviously came in taking Augie lightly, but that was a horrible display in the 2nd half with the game on the line.  If Augie didn't give them the 10 points (Wheaton didn't earn them, they were truly a gift), then Wheaton leaves Rock Island with a loss.  Based on watching this game and NCC's loss to UWSP, I think it's officially safe to say that the CCIW is way down this year.  It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out. 

[USee]

That was clearly the worst game the Thunder have played this season which is distressing since its halfway through. The defense had horrific tackling. I really believe they should have shut out Augie because the Viking offense is not very good. If Wheaton makes tackles they would have shut them out. 293 total yds for Augie and probably over 100 of that after hits at the LOS that should have stopped the play.

Wheaton's offense was really awful. Only 28 yds of offense in the second half and 35 rushes for 68 yds. To Augie's credit, they played 7-8 men in the box and really stuffed the run and Wheaton QBs could not complete anything. I think the rotating QB mentality really hurt Wheaton today. Butler played off and on in the first half but not at all in the 2nd half. Bowers was very quick to pull the ball down and run, even with open WRs. He also did not set his feet on several throws and missed open WR's badly.

I actually don't think the fake punt was that bad of a decision. If you are going to do it, that was a great place to do it with Wheaton (and all of us) really expecting a PR situation. I just thought the play selection was poor and the execution was awful. If they block the one guy who made the tackle, the fake works.

Wheaton can beat the lower half of the conference but they won't come close to NCC and will struggle with IWU based on what I saw today. I agree with Augie6, no fear from any defensive players. I would blitz Bowers on every 3rd down. He panicked under pressure.

Lots of work to do for the Thunder.

[Gregory Sager]

North Central beat North Park today, to nobody's surprise, 58-26. The Cardinals basically ran the ball right down NPU's throat, although the amount of arm-tackling I saw today by the Vikings was distressing. NCC is just loaded at the running back position, and the O-line of the crimson avians appears to be back in form.

The bright spot today was the passing game for NPU. T.D. Conway did make some bad reads and was victimized for three interceptions, but he also threw four touchdown passes, three to freshman WR Devin Childress and the longest pass play of Conway's career to date, a 77-yard score to Terrence Wright. NPU still isn't getting much of anything on the ground, as Drew Walkington and D.J. Jones picked up most of their rushing yards after John Thorne had subbed out his starters late in the third quarter.

NPU's getting banged up, too, which is what I was afraid would happen with the Vikings having to start off conference play against Wheaton and North Central. But the biggest loss of the day for either team might've been NCC QB Tyler Dicken, who hurt his knee on a quarterback keeper early in the first quarter and never re-entered the game.

[Augie6]

I actually don't think the fake punt was that bad of a decision. If you are going to do it, that was a great place to do it with Wheaton (and all of us) really expecting a PR situation. I just thought the play selection was poor and the execution was awful. If they block the one guy who made the tackle, the fake works.

I would tend to agree if they had tried the fake punt when it was 4th and 5.  But following two illegal procedure penalties which led to a 4th and 15, I think it was incredibly risky and unnecessary in that scenario.  How often do you see a fake punt run pick up 15+ yards?  That really changed the momentum of the game and was one of a couple head scratchers made by the Augie coaching staff. 

It will be interesting to see how Wheaton responds next week at Millikin.  I would imagine it probably won't be the most fun week of practice following the performance today.